Topic: Urinary Conditions

Urinary Incontinence is the involuntary leakage of urine from the urethra. Health experts estimate that as many as 12 million Americans experience some degree of urinary incontinence, which becomes increasingly common with advancing age.

Definition of Goodpasture’s Syndrome An autoimmune disorder in which the immune system produces antibodies that attack the glomeruli in the kidneys, impairing kidney function, and the alveoli in the lungs, causing bleeding into the lung tissue. In most people who develop Goodpasture’s syndrome the symptoms follow a viral infection of the upper respiratory tract or exposure to […]

Definition of Oliguria Oliguria is significantly reduced urine production that occurs as a consequence of renal failure, dehydration, hemorrhage (massive blood loss), or shock. Normal adult urinary output is 1500 milliliters to 3000 milliliters per day. In oliguria urinary output is 500 ml per day or less. Oliguria indicates that the kidneys are not receiving enough blood […]

Definition Hematuria – Blood in the Urine and Causes Hematuria is blood in the urine. Hematuria may result from numerous circumstances and always requires medical evaluation to determine the underlying cause. Though bladder cancer is uncommon, hematuria often is the earliest sign of its presence. Gross hematuria occurs when the amount of blood in the urine is sufficient to discolor the […]

Definition of Polycystic Kidney Polycystic Kidney – an inherited disorder in which hundreds to thousands of cysts form in the kidneys as well as in other organs and structures such as the liver, heart, and brain. The cysts greatly enlarge and deform the kidneys. The cysts arise from the nephrons, which they destroy as they […]

Definition of Albuminuria Excessive excretion of albumin, a form of protein, into the urine. Albuminuria, also called proteinuria, typically indicates kidney conditions that affect the glomeruli (the tubular structures within the kidneys that filter wastes and excess water from the blood to excrete in the urine). Such conditions include glomerulonephritis, glomerulosclerosis, nephrotic syndrome, and nephropathy of diabetes or of hypertension (high blood pressure). Albuminuria […]

Definition of Renal Cyst Renal Cyst – an encapsulated, fluid-filled growth that occurs in the kidney. Simple renal cysts are common and nearly always benign (noncancerous). Complex renal cysts, which may contain calculi (stones) and blood, may be benign or cancerous. Most renal cysts, simple or complex, do not cause symptoms. Rather, the doctor detects […]

Definition of Alport’s Syndrome Alport’s Syndrome – An inherited genetic disorder in which one, two, or three mutations occur in the gene that encodes type IV collagen formations, also called basement membranes. The mutations affect up to three of the six protein chains (alpha-3, alpha-4, and alpha-5) that make up type IV collagen, which is […]

Definition of Hepatorenal Failure Hepatorenal Failure – The progressive failure of the kidneys in people who have chronic liver failure. Doctors do not know what causes hepatorenal failure, also called hepatorenal syndrome, to develop though they do know the blood supply to the kidneys becomes suddenly and severely restricted. Not enough blood flows through the kidneys […]

Definition of Renal Failure Renal Failure – the inability of the kidneys to adequately filter toxins from the body. Generally the kidneys reach the point of renal failure when they have less than 15 percent functional capacity. Failure can be acute (occur suddenly) or chronic (develop slowly over time). Though the term failure implies the […]